CBSE Class 9 · Oceans and Life

Maritime Zones Class 9: EEZ, Marine Resources and Early Warning Systems

Updated 17 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Under UNCLOS, maritime zones are measured from the baseline: territorial sea up to 12 nautical miles, contiguous zone up to 24, exclusive economic zone up to 200, and the high seas beyond. Marine resources, living and non-living, support food, energy, trade and culture, and the Blue Economy aims at sustainable use. Early warning systems for cyclones and tsunamis detect, confirm, track and warn so that people can evacuate.

Zones are measured outward from the baseline: 12, 24 and 200 nautical miles, and beyond the EEZ lie the high seas open to all.

Illustration drawn for QuestionBuddy.

Understand Maritime Zones, Marine Resources, Blue Economy and Early Warning Systems

Maritime zones are measured from the baseline in nautical miles (1 NM = 1,852 m, one minute of latitude) as defined under UNCLOS.

Zone	Extent	Rights of the coastal country
Territorial sea	up to 12 NM	near-complete control (customs, immigration, pollution laws), subject to innocent passage
Contiguous zone	up to 24 NM	limited control: customs, fiscal matters, illegal immigration
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)	up to 200 NM	special rights to use resources (fish, oil, gas); others may pass peacefully; waters are not fully owned
High seas	beyond EEZs; about 64 per cent of the oceans	global commons: navigation, fishing, overflight, cables and exploration open to all; the law of the flag state applies on a ship

Innocent passage: foreign ships may cross territorial waters if they do not threaten peace, order or security, keep moving (except in emergencies) and do not fish or engage in military activity. Problems of the high seas include overfishing, illegal fishing, resource conflicts and weak enforcement. Maritime rules keep the seas safe and clean: COLREGs ("rules of the road at sea") and MARPOL (prevention of pollution from ships).

Marine resources are materials and features of the oceans with intrinsic or economic value.

*Living:* fish (coastal or neritic within the shelf, 0-200 m; oceanic beyond 200 m), other marine organisms, submerged vegetation and bioactive natural products.
*Non-living:* minerals (sand, gravel, deep-sea minerals) and energy, both conventional (oil, natural gas) and non-conventional (tidal, wave and current energy, OTEC, offshore wind, gas hydrates, biofuels).

Significance: food and livelihoods; energy; trade (about 90 per cent of global trade by volume goes by sea) and tourism; minerals; cultural value.

Blue Economy. The sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, better livelihoods and jobs while keeping marine ecosystems healthy; linked to SDG 14: Life Below Water.

Cyclone warnings. Cyclones are large rotating storms over warm ocean waters. India's tools include the NCRMP (cyclone shelters, stronger warnings, a Decision Support System), the SSEWS by INCOIS with IMD (storm surge forecasts) and the GEMINI device that passes GAGAN satellite data to fishers' phones in nine regional languages with warnings and potential fishing zones. North Indian Ocean cyclones are named from a list of 169 names from 13 countries.

Tsunami warnings. The tsunami of 26 December 2004 killed about 2,30,000 people; in India it badly hit Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. India's ITEWC set up tsunami detection buoys. The chain is detection (seismic stations) then confirmation (Ocean Bottom Pressure Recorders), tracking (tide gauges, radars) and warning dissemination (satellite, SMS, email, coastal display boards). Awareness matters: on Simeulue island local folklore helped people recognise the signs and flee.

Maritime Zones, Marine Resources, Blue Economy and Early Warning Systems: key facts

Maritime zones (UNCLOS): Territorial sea 12 NM
Contiguous zone 24 NM
EEZ 200 NM
High seas beyond; Measured from the baseline.
Nautical mile: 1 NM = 1,852 m | One minute of latitude; Convert to kilometres by x 1.852.
Rights by zone: Territorial sea near-complete control, innocent passage
Contiguous customs, fiscal, immigration
EEZ resource rights
High seas open to all; Decreasing control outward.
Marine resources: Living: fish, organisms, vegetation | Non-living: minerals, oil, gas, tidal, wave, wind energy; Coastal fish 0-200 m; oceanic beyond.
Tsunami warning chain: Detection
Confirmation OBPR
Tracking tide gauges, radar
Dissemination satellite, SMS; ITEWC.
Maritime rules: COLREGs rules of the road at sea
MARPOL prevents pollution from ships
UNCLOS defines zones; Three agreements.

Territorial sea	near-complete control, innocent passage
Contiguous	customs, fiscal, immigration
EEZ	resource rights
High seas	open to all

	Detection
Confirmation	OBPR
Tracking	tide gauges, radar
Dissemination	satellite, SMS

COLREGs	rules of the road at sea
MARPOL	prevents pollution from ships
UNCLOS	defines zones

How to answer Maritime Zones, Marine Resources, Blue Economy and Early Warning Systems questions

Questions ask you to name and describe zones, convert nautical miles to metres or kilometres, compare rights in each zone, describe marine resources and the Blue Economy, and explain the steps of a warning system.

1For zones, write the extent in NM and the country's rights in one line each.
2For conversions, multiply NM by 1,852 to get metres; divide by 1,000 for kilometres.
3For width of a zone, subtract the inner limit from the outer limit (EEZ beyond the territorial sea is 200 - 12).
4For warning systems, list the steps in order: detection, confirmation, tracking, dissemination.
5End with sustainability: Blue Economy and SDG 14.

Maritime Zones, Marine Resources, Blue Economy and Early Warning Systems in real life

The idea, met in an everyday situation. Answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

A fishing trawler's journey

Suppose a trawler leaves port and travels 20 NM from the coast, then continues out to 150 NM.

In which zone is it at 20 NM and at 150 NM, and what rights does the coastal country have?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

20 NM is beyond the 12 NM territorial sea but within the 24 NM contiguous zone.
150 NM is beyond 24 NM and within the 200 NM EEZ.
In the EEZ the coastal country has special rights to use resources such as fish.

Answer: At 20 NM the trawler is in the contiguous zone, where the country has limited control (customs, fiscal matters, illegal immigration). At 150 NM it is in the EEZ, where the coastal country has special rights over fish and other resources.

Memory hook: Twelve, twenty-four, two hundred.

A coastal warning

Suppose an undersea earthquake occurs and instruments detect it within minutes; a warning reaches coastal villages by SMS and display boards before the waves arrive.

Name the steps of the warning chain that worked.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Seismic stations detect the quake.
Pressure recorders confirm a wave; gauges and radar track it.
Warnings go out by satellite, SMS, email and display boards.

Answer: The steps were detection, confirmation, tracking and warning dissemination, which gave people time to evacuate.

Memory hook: Detect, confirm, track, tell.

Tricks to remember Maritime Zones, Marine Resources, Blue Economy and Early Warning Systems

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

Zones: 12-24-200
Twelve for territory, twenty-four for contiguous, two hundred for the economic zone.
Use it when: Maritime zones.
Chain: D-C-T-D
Detection, Confirmation, Tracking, Dissemination.
Use it when: Tsunami warning.
High seas = nobody's, everybody's
High seas are open to all as the global commons.
Use it when: High seas.

Maritime Zones, Marine Resources, Blue Economy and Early Warning Systems: solved examples

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Try each one before you open the solution.

Example 1: Which zone? · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

India's special rights to fish and oil and gas extend over the:
(a) Territorial sea only
(b) Exclusive Economic Zone up to 200 NM
(c) High seas
(d) Contiguous zone only

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

The EEZ up to 200 NM gives special rights to use resources (1 mark).

Answer: (b) Exclusive Economic Zone up to 200 NM

Example 2: Innocent passage (2 marks) · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

What is innocent passage? State one condition. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Foreign ships may cross territorial waters without threatening peace, order or security (1 mark).
Condition: keep moving (except emergencies) or do not fish or conduct military activity (1 mark).

Answer: Innocent passage is the right of foreign ships to cross a country's territorial waters if they do not threaten peace, order or security. One condition is that they must keep moving except in emergencies, and they may not fish or conduct military activity.

Example 3: Converting nautical miles (3 marks) · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

Convert 12 NM, 24 NM and 200 NM into kilometres using 1 NM = 1,852 m. Find the width of the contiguous zone, which lies between 12 NM and 24 NM. (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

12 NM = 12 x 1,852 = 22,224 m = 22.224 km; 24 NM = 44,448 m = 44.448 km (1 mark).
200 NM = 3,70,400 m = 370.4 km (1 mark).
Width of contiguous zone = 24 - 12 = 12 NM = 22.224 km (1 mark).

Answer: 12 NM = 12 x 1,852 = 22,224 m = 22.224 km; 24 NM = 44,448 m = 44.448 km; 200 NM = 3,70,400 m = 370.4 km. The contiguous zone lies between 12 and 24 NM, so its width is 12 NM = 22.224 km.

Example 4: Assertion-reason: high seas · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level

Assertion (A): The high seas are a global commons.
Reason (R): Navigation, fishing, overflight and cable laying on the high seas are open to all countries.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true, but R is false.
(d) A is false, but R is true.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

The high seas lie beyond EEZs and are open to all; R explains A (1 mark).

Answer: (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

Example 5: Zones compared (5 marks) · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

Compare the territorial sea, contiguous zone and EEZ in terms of extent and the rights of the coastal country, and say how the EEZ width beyond the territorial sea is found. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Territorial sea: up to 12 NM; near-complete control, subject to innocent passage (1 mark).
Contiguous zone: up to 24 NM; limited control over customs, fiscal matters, illegal immigration (1 mark).
EEZ: up to 200 NM; special rights to use resources; waters not fully owned (1 mark).
Width of EEZ beyond the territorial sea: 200 - 12 = 188 NM (1 mark).
All measured from the baseline, 1 NM = 1,852 m (1 mark).

Answer: The territorial sea extends up to 12 NM from the baseline, and the coastal country has near-complete control over it, subject to innocent passage. The contiguous zone extends to 24 NM and gives limited control over customs, fiscal matters and illegal immigration. The EEZ extends to 200 NM and gives the country special rights to use resources like fish, oil and gas, though the waters are not fully owned. The EEZ lies 200 - 12 = 188 NM beyond the territorial sea. All are measured from the baseline, with 1 NM equal to 1,852 m.

Example 6: Case: the 2004 tsunami · 4 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

Read the case and answer the questions.

After the tsunami of 26 December 2004, India set up the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre with detection buoys. In another place, an island community recognised the signs of a tsunami from old folklore and moved to higher ground in time.

(i) What type of earthquake usually causes a tsunami? (1)
(ii) Name the steps of a warning system in order. (1)
(iii) Why does awareness, as on Simeulue island, matter even with technology? (2)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

(i) An underwater (undersea) earthquake (1 mark).
(ii) Detection, confirmation, tracking, warning dissemination (1 mark).
(iii) People must recognise signs and act on warnings; folklore helped Simeulue islanders flee in time (2 marks).

Answer: (i) An underwater earthquake. (ii) Detection, confirmation, tracking and warning dissemination. (iii) Technology gives warnings, but people must understand and act on them; on Simeulue island local folklore helped people recognise the signs and flee in time, so awareness saves lives.

Where students lose marks in Maritime Zones, Marine Resources, Blue Economy and Early Warning Systems

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

Mistake: Wrong NM figures
Mixing the three limits.
Wrong working
EEZ is 24 NM.
Right working
EEZ is 200 NM; contiguous zone is 24 NM; territorial sea is 12 NM.
Do this: 12-24-200.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Treating the EEZ as fully owned
Missing the rights nuance.
Wrong working
The country owns the EEZ waters completely.
Right working
It has special rights to use resources; waters are not fully owned.
Do this: Use "special rights".
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Conversion error
Using 1,000 m per NM.
Wrong working
12 NM = 12 km.
Right working
12 NM = 12 x 1,852 m = 22.224 km.
Do this: Multiply by 1,852.
Usually costs: 1-2 marks.
Mistake: Warning steps out of order
Skipping confirmation.
Wrong working
Detection, tracking, warning.
Right working
Detection, confirmation, tracking, dissemination.
Do this: D-C-T-D.
Usually costs: 1 mark.

Exam tips

Draw a diagram of zones from the baseline with 12, 24 and 200 NM labelled.
Show the unit conversion line by line when asked in metres or kilometres.
Use the term "innocent passage" and its conditions in territorial sea answers.
Link Blue Economy answers to SDG 14 and healthy ecosystems.

Practice questions on Maritime Zones, Marine Resources, Blue Economy and Early Warning Systems

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level
The EEZ extends up to:
(a) 12 NM
(b) 24 NM
(c) 200 NM
(d) 64 NM
Hint
Largest of the coastal zones.
Answer
(c) 200 NM
Q2 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level
What is the Blue Economy? (2 marks)
Hint
Sustainable use of oceans.
Answer
The Blue Economy is the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, better livelihoods and jobs while keeping marine ecosystems healthy. It is linked to SDG 14, Life Below Water.
Q3 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
Name three non-living marine resources and three living ones. (3 marks)
Hint
Minerals, energy; fish.
Answer
Non-living: minerals (sand, gravel or deep-sea minerals), oil and natural gas, and tidal, wave or offshore wind energy. Living: fish, other marine organisms and submerged aquatic vegetation.
Q4 · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level
Assertion (A): In the territorial sea, foreign ships have a right of innocent passage.
Reason (R): The coastal state has near-complete control over its territorial sea, but must allow peaceful passage.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true, but R is false.
(d) A is false, but R is true.
Hint
Peace and security.
Answer
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
Q5 · 5 marks · Long answerHarder board level
Describe the significance of marine resources to people, with reference to food, energy, trade and culture. (5 marks)
Hint
Fish; oil, gas, tidal; 90 per cent trade; shells.
Answer
Oceans provide food and livelihoods, including fish protein and aquaculture. They supply energy in the form of oil and gas and non-conventional sources such as tidal, wave and offshore wind energy. About 90 per cent of global trade by volume goes by sea, and tourism also depends on the coast. Oceans give minerals such as sand, gravel and deep-sea minerals. They have cultural value as well, as shells were once used as currency. Sustainable use through the Blue Economy keeps these benefits available for the future.
Q6 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Suppose a country's fishing fleet catches fish far beyond its 200 NM zone, where no country has authority, and stocks begin to fall. Explain why this is a problem of the global commons and suggest two measures. (3 marks)
Hint
High seas problems.
Answer
The high seas beyond EEZs belong to no single country and are open to all, so each fleet may take as much as it can; this leads to overfishing, illegal fishing and weak enforcement. Measures include international rules and agreements such as those under UNCLOS, stronger enforcement and cooperation, and regulating fishing in line with SDG 14.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1.How many metres are in a nautical mile?Show answer
1,852 m.
2.What is the extent of the contiguous zone?Show answer
Up to 24 NM from the baseline.
3.What does COLREGs stand for in practice?Show answer
The rules of the road at sea.
4.What does MARPOL prevent?Show answer
Pollution from ships.
5.What is ITEWC?Show answer
The Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre.

Maritime Zones, Marine Resources, Blue Economy and Early Warning Systems: frequently asked questions

What are maritime zones?

Ocean areas measured from the baseline: territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone and high seas.

What is an EEZ?

A zone up to 200 nautical miles in which a coastal country has special rights to use resources.

What is SDG 14?

Life Below Water: protecting oceans, reducing marine pollution and using marine resources sustainably.

How does a tsunami warning system work?

It detects the earthquake, confirms the wave, tracks it and disseminates warnings by satellite, SMS and display boards.